There continues to be a plethora of challenges associated with effectively and economically using high-heat temperature steady-state steam to enable heavy viscosity hydrocarbons or minerals to be extracted and produced from subsurface crude oil-bearing rock formations, wherein such hydrocarbons are released from being embedded within subsurface reservoirs. As will become evident to those conversant in the art, embodiments of the downhole tool taught by the present invention are designed to be surprisingly useful for recovering viscous hydrocarbons downhole in areas or locations fraught with Bitumen, heavy viscosity oil, tar-type crude oil, and the like.
It will become clear that embodiments of the instant downhole tool will produce and sustain superheated steam temperatures, when heating solvent solutions, or heating water and other fluids—that are injected into the well at its upper ground-level surface. When the hot fluids and high temperature steam levels are reached in the heating area, the superheated steam and/or hot fluids pass through rock fissures laterally and/or vertically. Radial injection thereof passes through a plurality of well bores within the casing and then passes into the rock and other implicated outer formations, in order to release encapsulated heavy, viscous crude oil, tar-type crude and other minerals. It will be appreciated that this methodology allows heavy, viscous crude and other minerals to seep into the area of the well from which the crude oil and/or other minerals may be pumped upwardly to the well surface.
It is well known that heavy, viscous oil and other hydrocarbons will not flow to the surface of a well bore in sufficient quantity to be economically viable without being assisted or, indeed, without being driven, by heated steam, solvent, or other hot fluids. Accordingly, superheated steam and other hot fluids contemplated hereunder are transferred through the annulus formed between production pipe and surrounding outermost casing. A plurality of high temperature insertion heaters implemented in preferred embodiments of the present invention should preferably be located in the walls of the production pipe through which such viscous hydrocarbons and the like are pumped upwards to the well surface. It will be appreciated that, when water and other fluids pass through the annulus where the plurality of heating units are emplaced, superheated steam and hot fluids are produced and transferred through the well bores into the rock and other formations, simultaneously heating and moving heavy, viscous hydrocarbons to the well holes. Embodiments of the present invention also envision an optional high temperature oil pump design that could be included in the downhole high-temperature steam production and hydrocarbon recovery methodology hereof.
It is anticipated that embodiments of the instant high-temperature heat, superheated steam and hot-fluid tool will significantly improve upon the established downhole hydrocarbon recovery methodology typically referenced as “Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage.” For instance, if an embodiment hereof were installed in a plurality of pairs, disposed either vertically or horizontally as appropriate, with its embedded plurality of high-temperature heaters being preferably disposed proximal to targeted reservoir, the generated continuous stream of superheated steam and high-temperature fluid would be communicated to the heavy-viscosity rock, shell, bitumen, sand and the like for expediting extraction and outward flow thereof. Indeed it is contemplated that the instant methodology will also significantly enhance another established technique for extraction of entrenched viscous hydrocarbons: “Cyclic Steam Stimulation.”
Similarly, it will also be appreciated that heavy, viscous oil and other hydrocarbons will not flow through pipelines on or above the surface in sufficient quantity to be economically viable without being assisted or, indeed, without being driven, by heated steam, solvent, or other hot fluids. Accordingly, superheated steam and other hot fluids contemplated hereunder are transferred through the annulus formed between pipelines and surrounding protective casing. A plurality of high temperature insertion heaters implemented in preferred embodiments of the present invention should preferably be located in the pipeline walls through which such viscous hydrocarbons and the like are pumped substantially horizontally to storage tanks, tankcars, ships, and other suitable surface hydrocarbon storage facilities. It will be appreciated that, when water and other fluids pass through the annulus where the plurality of heating units are emplaced, superheated steam and hot fluids are produced and transfer heat through the pipeline wall thereby heating and facilitating flow of heavy, viscous hydrocarbons to the designated hydrocarbon storage destination. Embodiments of the present invention also envision an optional high temperature oil pump design that could be included in the high-temperature steam production and hydrocarbon recovery methodology hereof.